ficers or men to visit
the shore oftener than could be helped. Owen, however, on one occasion
accompanied the captain, who had business to transact. They were
returning to the harbour to embark when they met a party of natives,
carrying a person on a stretcher, followed by several Dutchmen, and two
or three English sailors. The bearers stopped on seeing the captain,
supposing that he was some one in authority, and placed the stretcher on
the ground.

"Please, sir," said one of the seamen, "we have just picked up this
Englishman; can you tell us where we are to take him to?"

"To the public hospital of course," answered Captain Stanhope, "if the
man is alive. But are you sure of that?" he asked, looking down.

Owen just then recognised the countenance of the first mate of the
"Druid," as did also Captain Stanhope.

"I suspect that he is a subject for the dead-house rather than the
hospital," observed the captain.

"Why, so I believe," cried the seaman, placing his hand on the mate's
heart, and then lifting up his arm, it fell motionless by his side.

Captain Stanhope ascertained that the man had been seen to fall down,
apparently in a drunken fit and had not since uttered a word.

"Take him to the hospital, and you will soon learn whether he is dead,
or if there is any hope of his recovering," said the captain.

The bearers taking up the dead body--for dead he was, there could be no
doubt--hurried on to the hospital as directed. Such was the ending of
the first mate of the "Druid," and such has been that of countless
numbers of seamen who have given way to the terrible vice of
drunkenness.

Owen returned on board with the captain. It was his last visit to the
shore. Indeed, attractive as the country is in appearance, few would
wish to visit that pestiferous region. The two frigates having been
refitted, sailed together for a cruise through the Indian seas.

Captain Stanhope's orders were to visit Amboyna, several of the Molucca
islands, Banda Neira, and other places which had been lately captured
from the Dutch. The castle of Belgica, the chief fort of Banda Neira,
had been taken in an especially gallant manner the year before by
Captain Cole, of the frigate "Caroline," and Captain Kenah, of the
"Barracouta" sloop. Landing at night, during a violent storm,
accompanied by Lieutenant Lyons and several other officers, they made
their way to the rear of the citadel. Though discovered, scrambling up
by